Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Small states
Small states: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 17,762 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Small states, 1966–2025
Source: Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Analysis
The most recent figure for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Small states is 17,762, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 4.1% on the previous year and down 32.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Small states peaked at 273,720 in 1999 and was at its lowest, 50, in 1985.
That places Small states 43rd out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Small states, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 300 | — |
| 1967 | 300 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 430 | +43.3% |
| 1969 | 400 | -7.0% |
| 1970 | 400 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 700 | +75.0% |
| 1985 | 50 | -92.9% |
| 1988 | 69 | +38.0% |
| 1989 | 6,671 | +9568.1% |
| 1990 | 6,704 | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 15,507 | +131.3% |
| 1992 | 78,127 | +403.8% |
| 1993 | 86,475 | +10.7% |
| 1994 | 123,418 | +42.7% |
| 1995 | 124,793 | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 127,680 | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 119,346 | -6.5% |
| 1998 | 110,826 | -7.1% |
| 1999 | 273,720 | +147.0% |
| 2000 | 234,616 | -14.3% |
| 2001 | 186,156 | -20.7% |
| 2002 | 143,874 | -22.7% |
| 2003 | 107,470 | -25.3% |
| 2004 | 109,012 | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 110,797 | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 113,309 | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 116,564 | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 112,145 | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 97,590 | -13.0% |
| 2010 | 84,432 | -13.5% |
| 2011 | 68,129 | -19.3% |
| 2012 | 52,561 | -22.9% |
| 2013 | 39,359 | -25.1% |
| 2014 | 31,938 | -18.9% |
| 2015 | 26,181 | -18.0% |
| 2016 | 19,791 | -24.4% |
| 2017 | 16,414 | -17.1% |
| 2018 | 16,051 | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 15,553 | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 14,993 | -3.6% |
| 2021 | 15,727 | +4.9% |
| 2022 | 13,923 | -11.5% |
| 2023 | 14,789 | +6.2% |
| 2024 | 17,056 | +15.3% |
| 2025 | 17,762 | +4.1% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in Small states changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +9568.1% | 69 | 6,671 |
| 1992 | +403.8% | 15,507 | 78,127 |
| 1999 | +147.0% | 110,826 | 273,720 |
| 1991 | +131.3% | 6,704 | 15,507 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 357.5 | 300 | 430 | 4 |
| 1970s | 550 | 400 | 700 | 2 |
| 1980s | 2,263 | 50 | 6,671 | 3 |
| 1990s | 106,660 | 6,704 | 273,720 | 10 |
| 2000s | 133,153 | 97,590 | 234,616 | 10 |
| 2010s | 37,041 | 15,553 | 84,432 | 10 |
| 2020s | 15,708 | 13,923 | 17,762 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Small states
- 40 Côte d'Ivoire 32,506 compare
- 41 Bangladesh 31,862 compare
- 42 Serbia 29,665 compare
- 43 Cuba 29,395 compare
- 44 Bosnia and Herzegovina 24,653 compare
- 45 Egypt 23,763 compare
- 46 Albania 21,447 compare
More social development data for Small states
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 147,210 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0009 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 17,762 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0072 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of -2.76 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 147,210 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 4.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.258 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Small states?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in Small states was 17,762 in 2025, according to Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
- What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Small states?
- The highest recorded value was 273,720 in 1999.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in Small states?
- The lowest recorded value was 50 in 1985.
- How does Small states rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- Small states ranks 43rd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of rising or falling in Small states?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Small states data come from?
- The figures come from Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), published as part of Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of origin. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Refugees under the mandate of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) include individuals recognized under the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, its 1967 Protocol, the 1969 Organization of African Unity (OAU) Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, the refugee definition contained in the 1984 Cartagena Declaration on Refugees as incorporated into national laws, those recognized in accordance with the UNHCR Statute, individuals granted complementary forms of protection, and those enjoying temporary protection. The refugee population also includes people in a refugee-like situation, which is a category that is descriptive in nature and includes groups of people who are outside their country or territory of origin and who face protection risks similar to those of refugees, but for whom refugee status has, for practical or other reasons, not been ascertained. Refugees under the mandate of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Palestine Refugees, are not typically included in the statistics on refugees (and people in a refugee-like situation) under the mandate of the UNHCR.